Iran's foreign minister arrives in Muscat

Muscat: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi arrived today in Muscat on a formal day-long visit during which he is expected to hold talks with senior Omani officials.

On his arrival he was received by Oman's Foreign Minister Yusuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah on his arrival this afternoon.

Salehi comes to Oman after attending a meeting of the founding members of the transit and transport corridor linking Central Asia and the Gulf region and Sea of Oman in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgaba last Monday.

At that meeting, an agreement was signed between the founding countries, namely Qatar, Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The agreement provides co-operation and facilitation of transport and transit of persons and goods as well as exports among the countries of Central Asia and countries of the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea and South-West Asia and the Middle East through available transportation means including highways, railways and cargo ships across the seas.

The agreement aims to boost trade and commercial co-operation among the signatories as well as the states which will join later.

Before leaving for Muscat today, Salehi pointed to the coincidence of his visit to Oman with the current wave of demonstrations and protests across the Middle East and North Africa.

"Significant developments are underway which will influence all regional countries," he was quoted by Iranian news agency IRNA.

Referring to the region's role in securing global oil supplies, the Iranian foreign minister expressed optimism that the regional countries can "alleviate all concerns" with regard to crude supplies and safeguard the region's interests.

Salehi is scheduled to exchange views with his Omani counterpart on the latest developments in the Middle East and ways to improve Tehran-Muscat relations.

The top Iranian diplomat is accompanied by Mohammad Karami-Rad, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) and Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the director general of the Persian Gulf and Middle East Affairs Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

At the end of his visit to Oman, Salehi is scheduled to leave Muscat for the Turkish capital of Ankara.